EPA Press Office (press@epa.gov)
WASHINGTON (Nov. 9, 2021) — Today, the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of the Interior, 13
other federal agencies, and non-governmental partners commemorated a decade of
accomplishments under the Urban Waters Federal Partnership while pledging their
recommitment to this partnership. Twenty partnership locations across the
country are advancing economic, public health, environmental, and social
benefits by enhancing community connections to water.
“With the 10th anniversary of the Urban
Waters Federal Partnership and the 50th anniversary of the
Clean Water Act, EPA is celebrating transformational improvements to our
waters—including in our urban centers,” said EPA Assistant Administrator
for Water Radhika Fox. “The Urban Waters Federal Partnership is
supporting communities across the country, from the Bronx to Los Angeles to our
newest location—the Rio Reimagined project in Arizona. I look forward to
accelerating this progress with our renewed commitment.”
The Urban Waters Federal Partnership brings together 15
federal agencies to work collaboratively with local communities and partners to
restore urban waterways and their environments to boost recreational
opportunities, help local economies, create jobs, and protect the health of
Americans. The federal agencies currently support 20 locations across the
nation with financial and technical assistance to address community-driven
priorities. The Partnership also provides support to hundreds of
additional underserved communities with seed funding for local projects and
public education through the Urban Waters Learning Network.
“The Urban Waters Federal Partnership Program recognizes
that communities and clean water are integral to one another,” said
White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Brenda Mallory. “For
decades, this partnership program has demonstrated that restoring waterways
reinvigorates communities by preserving areas that serve as natural flood
protection, fish and wildlife habitat, and beautiful places where Americans can
work and play safely outdoors. It’s an honor to celebrate this milestone by
reaffirming our commitment to advancing environmental justice, connecting
people to nature, and tackling the climate crisis.”
“The Interior Department is deeply committed to the goals
and mission of the Urban Waters Federal Partnership. As we look to the future,
we’re particularly focused on strengthening our current locations with more
resources and support, and looking to see how we can expand the impact of this
innovative partnership to more communities across the country,” said Tanya
Trujillo, Assistant Secretary for Water and Science for the Department of the
Interior. “The 10th-anniversary recommitment to the program by the
federal partners and non-governmental and academia partners supports the
Biden-Harris administration’s all-of-government approach to advancing equity
and environmental justice and its goal of conserving and restoring 30 percent
of lands and waters by 2030.”
To learn more about collaborative efforts to uplift urban
waters and their surrounding communities, visit: https://www.epa.gov/urbanwaterspartners and https://urbanwaterslearningnetwork.org/
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